Slave song

Bright bird, light bird,

Bird with the purple wing,

Do you bring me a letter

Or do you bring me a ring?

Or only a note out of some old song

My mother used to sing?

Sweet bird, fleet bird,

Flying from far away,

Do you come from the dear old home

Over the mountain grey?

And did you tell them before you came,

That you would see me today?

Blue bird, true bird,

Tell them my heart is fain

To cross the plain and the mountain,

And live in their heart again!

But I am a slave in a far-off land,

And I long, I long in vain!